Prevent or shorten symptoms with these expert-recommended supplements

They call it cold season for a reason. Two reasons, actually: Along with the frigid weather comes sniffling and sneezing. And the occasional disorienting or drowsing effects of OTC drugs can make getting sick feel even worse. Luckily there are a handful of tried-and-true plant and vitamin-based supplements with a trusted track record of fending off flu-like symptoms. Whether you're healthy and intend on staying that way or sick and itching to get back on your feet, these boosters may be your highway to health.

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1. Vitamin CWorks To: Prevent a cold, but only if you take it before you're exposed to the virus, says Kathi Kemper, MD, chair for the Center for Integrative Medicine at Wake Forest University. One study found that athletes who took C supplements daily slashed their risk of developing a cold in half. Try 500 mg twice daily during cold season.

2. Ginseng Works To: Prevent a cold, but like vitamin C, you have to take it well ahead of time. Cold-FX, which contains an extract of ginseng, was found to reduce the incidence of colds by 25 percent when taken twice daily over a four-month period.

3. Echinacea Works To: Shorten a cold's duration and possibly prevent you from catching one. Try one 500 mg capsule daily as soon as symptoms arise or whenever someone around you gets sick, says Lynne David, ND, a naturopathic doctor at the Center for Integrative Medicine in Washington, DC. To ensure quality, look for the American Herbal Pharmacopoeia (AHP) or NSF International seal.

4. Zinc Works To: Shorten a cold's duration and make symptoms less severe. Studies suggest sucking on a lozenge every 3 to 4 hours, starting as soon as you have symptoms.

5. Vitamin D Works To: Keep your immune system strong. If your levels are normal, then taking extra D is unlikely to help, but since so many people are lacking, it's a good idea to ask your doc for a blood test.

If you decide to take any supplements regularly, check with your doctor first.